Window-shade.



J. W. PEPP LE. wmnow SHADE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-6| 1913.

1,156,807. Patented Oqt. 12, 1915.

I H 3 v COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH cohwAsmNo'roN, D. c.

rinirnn s'ra ras -5JOI-IN w. terra n, or SANANTONIO, TEXAS.

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To all whom it may concern:

' Be itknown thatI, JOHN WV. PEPPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of BeXa-r and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Window-Shades, of which the following is a specification. Y

The present invention has reference to window shades, and it comprehends, briefly, an article of the general character or class specified having improved, adjustable supporting devices associated with it, whereby the-roller to which the shadeor curtain is attached, may be raised-or lowered bodily to any desired extent and locked in adjusted position.

The invention resides primarily in the structural details of the afore-mentioned supporting devices, and in the provision of v a device which operates or acts upon the same for the purpose of maintaining them in working conditionand locked. V v

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in'the accompanying. drawing, where- Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the improved shade applied to a window; Fig. 2 is a side viewof Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the shade supporting devices released from the locking means, and the shade roller slightly raised.

In said drawing, 5 indicates, generally, a window frame of conventional type, and 6 the curtain or shade proper, the latter being wound upon the usual roller 7. This roller is designed for bodily movement toward either end of the frame, to vary the portion of the window to be affected by the curtain for ventilating or other purposes. To provide for such movement, the ends of the said roller are connected to a pair of endless,

flexible elements 8, here shown as in the form of sprocket chains, which are'arranged longitudinally of the vertical side members of the frame, the inner stretch of each chain having inserted in it an angle plate 9 with a perforation in the front wing thereof for the reception of the adjacent roller end. At their upper ends the chains travel over sprockets 10 secured to a horizontal crossshaft 11 which is journaled in brackets 12 fastened to the upper corners of the frame, and at their lower ends they pass around rollers 13 mounted upon cross-pins 14 journaled in theforked upper ends of a pair of I Specification of Lettcrs Patent. Patented 01613. 12, 191:5. Application filed August 6, 191's. Serial in. 783,436. I i i brackets '15. The parts last mentioned are attached by screws 16 to the side members of the frame, are constructed ofsuitable spring metatand are curved first downwardly and outwardly away from said frameinembers and then upwardly'and inwardly, forwhich reason they exert a slight downward tension at their free ends upon'the chains and thus maintain the latter normally stretched, itbein-g'possible to regulate this tension to some- I extent by tightenlng or loosening the screws,

as will be apparent.

PME rrionr v In consequence of the foregoing arrangement, mov ment of the chains in either di rection Wlll 'eflect a c'orrespondlngvertical movement of the curtain roller bodily,"

whereby the latter isbrought into'the desired position with respectto the window,

after which the curtain may itself be either .rolledup or unrolled;

Means is finally'provid'ed for 'holdingthe curtain roller and, hence, the curtain, in ad justed position, and in the construction illustrated such means is in the form ofa'toothed element 17 which is affixed transversely to one of the side members of theframe, for.

engagement with the adjacent chain. The

tooth on said element projects forwardly from the base-plate whereon it is formed,

and is normally engaged with the links vof the inner ostretch of' the adjacent chain by reason of the tension exerted upon the latter by its spring bracket 15, as will be understood from Fig. 2. To release the chain, it is only necessary to grasp its inner stretchadjacent the retaining device and'draw the same forwardly, in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, until the links are disengaged, whereuponthe adjustment of the roller-may be effected as above described. The employment of the springbrackets materially facilitates th'e'ac-* tion, so to, speak, of the retaining device, since not onlyis that device normally engagedwith the adjacent chain, but the movement ofthe inner stretch of the chain toward the outer incidental to the release of the chain, causes an inward movement ofthe corresponding bracket and in this way prevents undue stretching of the chain.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a curtain fixture, thecombination, with a horizontal shaft adapted to be mounted at the upper portion of a window frame, and a pair of rotatable elements carried thereby; of a pair of spring brackets adapt-- ed for attachment to said frame below saidby the shaft and provided with rollers; a pair of flexible endless elements connecting said rotatable elements and said rollers and normally tensioned by said spring brackets; and a curtain roller having its opposite ends connected to said flexible elements.

2. In a curtain fixture, the combination, with a horizontal shaft adapted to be mounted at the upper portion of a window frame,

and a pair of rotatable elements carried thereby; of a pair of spring brackets having their upper ends adapted for attachment to said frame below said shaft and their lower ends forked, the forked end of each bracket having a roller mounted therein; a pair of flexible endless elements connecting said rotatable elements and, said rollers and normally tensioned by said spring brackets; and a curtain roller having its opposite ends connected to said flexible elements.

8. In acurtain fixture, the combination, with a horizontal shaft adapted to be mounted at the upper portion of a window frame, and'a pair of rotatable elements carried thereby; of a pair of spring brackets adapted for attachment to said frame below said shaft and provided with rollers; a pair of flexible endless elements connecting said rotatable elements and said rollers and normally tensioned by said spring brackets; a

curtain roller having its opposite ends connected to said flexible elements; and retaining means adapted for connection to said frame adjacent the inner stretch of one of said flexible elements'and normally engaged same under the tension of the adjacent spring bracket to hold the curtain roller in adjusted position. p

4;. In a curtain fixture, the combination with a pair of endless chains adapted to be arranged at opposite sides of a window frame, and means for supporting said chains at opposite ends; of a curtain roller having its opposite ends connected to said chains; and a toothed retaining device adapted for connection to said frame adjacent the links of the inner stretch of one chain, the supporting means at one end of said chain being adapted to normally force the said inner stretch thereof into engagement with said retaining device, to hold the curtain roller in adjusted position.

5. In a curtain fixture, the combination of a horizontal shaft adapted to be mounted at the top of a window frame; a pair of pinions secured to the ends of said shaft; a pair of spring brackets adapted to be fastened at their upper ends to said frame below and in line with said pinions and provided at their lower ends with revoluble elements; a pair of endless chains connecting said pinions and revoluble elements; a curtain roller connected at opposite ends to said chains; and a toothed retaining device adapted for attachment to said frame adjacent the inner stretch of one of said chains, said chains being normally tensioned, and said inner stretch normally engaged with said retaining device, by the action of said spring brackets.

6. A window shade support comprising a pair of endless chains, a rotary element adapted to be supported at the top of a window frame and to support said chains, a shade roller, a shade roller bracket carried by each chain for supporting the shade roller, a pair of leaf springs each having a bifurcated end, a roller carried by the bifurcated end of each leaf spring and engaging with one of the endless chains, and stationary keeper adjacent to one of the chains in such relation that the latter is held normally in engagement therewith by means of one of said leaf springs.

7. The combination in a shade support, a pair of endless chains spaced apart and mounted to revolve in unison, shade roller bracket comprising a link of each chain, a tension roller engaging the lower portion of each chain, anda pair of spring elements each comprising a support for one of said tension rollers and combining therewith to constitute a tensioning device for holding the chains taut.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. PEPPLE.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. SHIET,

A. R. WEs'rBRooK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

